A/N: Hey guys! I've had a song playing on repeat in my car for a few days now and it has given birth to this plot bunny that simply will not leave me alone. I don't know how regular these updates will be as I am still very focused on finishing Evolution, but we will see where this goes.

This story is all human; no zombies, aliens, or wormholes in this one. Canon couples, but it does come with a mature content warning. There are mentions of sexual assault, drug abuse, and violence in this story, so if any of these situations are triggers for you…please don't continue.

Otherwise, buckle up and let's go for a ride.

As always, I don't own Twilight, Stephenie Meyer does.

EPOV

"I'm outta here, Em!" I shouted over AC/DC blaring Highway to Hell over the sound system. Slapping my bar towel on the counter, I quickly untied the apron from around my waist and headed to the back to retrieve my hoodie. My fucking shift was supposed to be over an hour ago, but we were slam busy and I couldn't leave Emmett by himself with the entire bar.

Rosalie stuck her head through the door, glancing quickly around the stock room until her baby blue eyes met my stern green ones. "Hey Cullen, Emmett says we need toilet paper at the house. Says he used the last of it this morning. Think you can stop on your way home and pick some up?"

I rolled my eyes at her and shrugged into my hoodie, pulling a beanie down over my head. "I picked some up last night. It's in the closet in the hallway."

"That's a stupid fucking place to keep toilet paper. Why don't you just put it in the bathroom?" Rose was wearing her bitch face which meant I was about to be on the receiving end of a rather long rant. "Oh, and another thing. Could you please stop hiding you dirty underwear in mine and Emmett's laundry? It's fucking disgusting, you sneaky bastard. Do your own fucking laundry. And would it kill you to rinse off your goddamned dirty dishes-"

"Hey, Rosalie?" I asked, cutting a glare back in her direction as I opened the back door. "Why don't you get off my dick and go ride someone else for a while, eh?" Not willing to wait around for her witty response, I ducked out the door and jogged around the side of the building, coming out of the alley by the main road. 'Masen's' green neon sign buzzed above my head and illuminated the concrete under my feet.

I tightened my jacket around me as a blast of frigid air swept down the sidewalk. "Fuck!" I hissed through my teeth, thinking back to just last week when the temperature was a mild fifty degrees at night. Last Wednesday a cold front moved through and we'd had below freezing temperatures after sunset ever since. At least there was no rain, though. I couldn't even remember the last time L.A. saw snow, but freezing rain sucked giant donkey balls.

I jammed my hands further into my hoodie pockets, fingering the holes at the bottom, and hunched my shoulders up closer to my ears in an attempt to keep them warm. I headed off in the direction of home, checking off my 'To Do' list in my head in order to distract myself from the fact that my nose and chin were numb and I could no longer feel my ass cheeks. Three more blocks and I would be home…just one foot in front of the other for three more blocks.

I was pulled from my mindless march by soft moans coming from the intersecting alley up ahead. "That's one way to stay warm," I chuckled to myself. It had been two years since I'd last had sex; two long years with just me and my fist and a lukewarm shower. The moans and whimpers got louder with every step I took. I really tried not to look as I passed by, but hey…I'm a guy. So I peeked.

My first thought was utter confusion at what I was seeing. My glance had been so quick that I had to actually stop and do a double-take. The alley was empty save for an overflowing dumpster and a large pile of oil covered blankets next to it. But it was the dainty feet peeking out from under that pile of blankets that gave cause for concern. Two bare feet.

My heart leapt up into my throat at the mere thought of what I would find under that blanket. Cautiously, I crept closer as her whimpers got louder.

"Miss? Are you okay?" I asked hesitantly. This was incredibly stupid. It very well could be a trap; some girl with her pimp or boyfriend waiting in the shadows to mug me, not that I owned anything of value. But I sure wasn't looking for a fight tonight. I almost turned and headed back the way that I came, but the mystery girl let out a sharper cry. "Do you need help?" Still no response from the quivering lump of oily fabric.

My hand shook as it hovered over the blanket. With a thumping heart and frozen fingers, I gently pulled it down. "Oh God," I gasped at the sight underneath. The girl was young, probably around my age or a little younger, maybe twenty two if I had to guess. On a normal day she would be a stunner with porcelain skin and mahogany hair, but something horrible had happened to this poor girl. Her whole face was swollen and her lips were split open, blood dribbling from her nose and down her chin. She had been beaten black and blue and continued to whimper even though I was absolutely sure the girl was incoherent.

I pulled the blanket down a little further, following the path of bruises down her sternum until it became glaringly obvious that she was naked underneath this blanket. Closing my eyes, I swallowed hard and quickly yanked the blanket back up to under her chin as I straightened to my full height and took a quick step backward. This girl needed a fucking hospital…now. I couldn't carry her there, so I would have to get a cab. But I had no money…no driver's license… no fucking cell phone. That only left me with one option. One that I was loath to pursue, but I was sure the fucker would understand given the situation.

Kneeling down, I wrapped the girl snugly inside the old blanket like a small burrito and gathered her in my arms while trying not to jostle her too much. Fuck, she was tiny. I tried desperately to flag down a cab, but even at one o'clock in the morning cabs could be hard to come by downtown. Licking my chapped lips and bracing myself against the cold, I let out the sharpest whistle I could muster. A moment later, a yellow van pulled up to the curb. I fumbled with the back door for a moment before I was able to get it open and both of us situated inside the toasty interior.

"Where to? Hey man, is that chick okay?" the cabbie asked, eyeing us in his rearview mirror. He was an older gentleman and watched me suspiciously while he awaited my answer. I was somewhat shocked by his question. Genuine concern was a rarity in Los Angeles.

"No, she's not. I found her like this. Cedars-Sinai please…as quick as you can." I cursed silently, hoping this guy wouldn't think the worst and call the cops right then and there. Luck seemed to be with me as the taxi lurched forward, accelerating in speed toward Cedar-Sinai Medical Center and a man I hadn't laid eyes on in over a year.

I looked down at the small girl still whimpering in my arms. She was going to be in so much pain when she woke up. My heart ached for her as I wiped away some of the blood smeared on her face with my sleeve. In a display of comfort, I gingerly pulled her hand out from under the blanket. What I found made my blood turn to ice. A blue rubber tourniquet was tied loosely right above her elbow and a needle protruded from her arm four inches below the band.

Fuck. She was a drug addict.

I breathed steadily through my nose while trying to fight my own personal demons raging within me. It had been three years since I had touched the stuff, but once an addict…always an addict. The urge never went away.

My eyes wandered to the needle once more as the monster in me fought its way to the surface. But my internal battle took a back seat as I peered closer at the crook of her elbow. Bewildered, I pulled her other arm free from the blanket and examined it closely.

Huh…no needle tracks. This girl wasn't a drug addict. This was done to her. Who was this girl and what had she done to deserve this?

The taxi screeched to a stop in front of the glass sliding doors marked 'Emergency' in bold red letters. I quickly wrapped the girl's arms back up inside the blanket and scurried from the vehicle, rounding the side to speak with the driver.

"Hey man, if you can give me one minute to get her inside, I'll be right back out with your money-"

"Don't worry about it," the cabbie muttered, waving me off. "I've got a daughter about her age. Just…take care, okay?" He nodded toward the hospital doors and gave me a small, sad smile before pulling away from the curb and heading back out into the night.

For a moment I simply stared after him in disbelief, making a mental note of his cab number and company name so I could track him down later and thank him properly. I rushed forward with my precious cargo through the glass doors and into the Emergency waiting room, shouting for help the entire way. I was immediately bombarded with nurses and doctors and a security guard pushing a gurney. I laid her gently on the small padded rolling table and backed away to give the professionals room to work.

"What's her name?" a young guy in blue scrubs barked at me as they quickly rolled the girl down a brightly lit hallway toward a set of double doors.

"I don't know…I found her like this in an alley. Please…" I begged as I tried my best to keep up. I wasn't even sure to whom or for what I was begging for exactly. We stopped in front of the doorway and one of the nurses swiped a badge across a scanner mounted on the wall. The doors opened automatically and the group was once again on its way. The robust security guard held his meaty hand out against my chest, preventing me from going any further.

"Sorry son, but you can't go back there-"

Nodding, I backed away slowly as the heavy double doors closed behind the retreating throng of medical personnel. I felt a sharp tug in my chest as if my body was willing me to go after her. Jesus, I just needed to know that she was going to be okay.

I trotted over to the reception desk at the front of the waiting room. Seated inside the spherical piece of furniture was a young blond woman methodically filing her nails while she smacked loudly on a piece of chewing gum. Everything about this chick screamed fake; from her bleached hair and orange spray tan all the way down to her stationary silicone tits. I cleared my throat to get her attention but was met with her continuously smacking lips.

"Excuse me!" I finally bellowed as my anxiety reached its limit. My nails dug into the formica countertop as I waited for this vapid bitch to acknowledge me.

She looked up at me with disdain from underneath her equally fake eye lashes and then proceeded to eye fuck me while she licked her greasy lips. I absolutely loathed the fucker that invented lip gloss.

"How can I help you?" she purred, her nasally voice grating on my nerves like nails on a chalkboard.

"Will you page Dr. Cullen please? Carlisle Cullen?" I tried to calm my demeanor as I realized how harsh that sounded, but my patience was wearing thin and I needed to retain some composure for who I was about to face and the arduous task before me.

"And you are?"

"Edward Cullen." Her eyes widened at my declaration before picking up the phone and paging Dr. Cullen to the ER.

Several minutes later, a familiar mop of blond hair appeared as Dr. Cullen approached the front desk, his face buried in a patient chart while he completely ignored his surroundings. "What is it, Jessica?"

"Actually, I had you paged," I answered, stepping toward Carlisle.

The patient file in his hands dropped to the floor as his head shot up, immediately scanning the room. As his eyes met mine, his jaw dropped in surprise. "Edward? Is it really you?"

"Yeah, Carlisle, it's me," I sighed as I bent over to scoop the folder off the floor and hand it back to him. He just stared at me dumbfounded, his mouth opening and closing like a fish, but no words were spoken. "Look, I know it's a shock seeing me, but I need your help."

"Are you in trouble again?" he asked, his eyes narrowing to slits as he appraised my appearance, obviously looking for any sign that I was using again.

I fucking knew this would happen. Carlisle always had a knack for jumping to the wrong conclusion. "No, Carlisle, it's not me. I brought someone into the ER a few minutes ago…a young woman. She's beat up pretty badly and I just want to make sure she's okay. I was hoping that you would take a look-"

"Alright, alright," Carlisle interrupted, holding his hands out in front of him. "You said she was just taken back?"

I nodded. "About ten minutes ago."

Carlisle sighed heavily and looked down at his watch. "Okay, I'll go check on her. Go to my office and lie down for a bit. You look dead on your feet. I'll come talk to you when I know more."

"Thanks, Carlisle," I breathed, relief flooding through me as I took off toward his office. As I opened the heavy door and stepped inside I was bombarded with memories of a happier time. I ran my fingers across his desk, thinking back to when Carlisle would help me with my homework after school. Strolling over to the window, I looked down into the orange tinged parking lot and the inky blackness beyond the safety of the lamp posts, remembering the park just on the other side. There was a small basketball court off to the right where Carlisle and I would often shoot some hoops to blow off some steam.

Tears stung my eyes as I turned away from the window and threw myself down on the couch. That old life was gone. I had made my choices and so had he. No sense in rehashing the past. I flipped over to my side, bunching a throw pillow up under my head and was asleep within minutes.

The slamming of a door startled me awake. I sat straight up, blinking hard and shaking my head to try and clear the sleep induced fog from my brain. It took me a few moments to remember where I was. The hospital. The girl. Carlisle.

I scanned the room, looking for the source of the slamming door. Carlisle sat behind his desk with his head in his hands. My heart pounded in my ears as I feared the worst.

"Carlisle-"

"You told me you weren't in trouble." Carlisle's voice was monotone and direct, tinged with a hint of disappointment.

"I'm not in trouble, Carlisle. I've been clean for three fucking years," I huffed in annoyance.

"She had a needle in her fucking arm and a massive dose of heroin in her system!" Carlisle shouted, rising from his chair so fast that it flew back against the wall and toppled over. His eyes blazed with fury as he glared at me. "She's listed as a fucking Jane Doe! You don't even know this girl, do you? You're just shooting up with random trash now?"

I leapt to my feet as white hot anger raced through my veins. "Fuck you, Carlisle!" I spat. "You don't know dick about me or my friends. I was walking home from work tonight and passed by this girl in an alley. I couldn't leave her, Carlisle. You know why."

The hard expression on Carlisle's face seemed to soften a bit at my explanation. He hung his head and leaned on the front of his desk, unwilling to meet my gaze."You're not lying? You really aren't using again?"

"Look, I'll piss in a fucking cup if you want. Just please…tell me about the girl." I sunk back down into the couch cushions, my head throbbing from our little confrontation.

"I'm holding you to that, Edward. I want to know for sure," Carlisle sighed. "Consider it payment for my consultation fees."

"Fine," I acquiesced.

"Your friend was beaten badly. She has a severe concussion, three broken ribs, a fractured wrist, and a severely broken ankle." Carlisle righted his chair and sat back down behind his desk, pinching the bridge of his nose as he chose his next words carefully. "The ankle needed surgery, so she's been prepped and is currently in the OR. The initial toxicology report came back positive for heroin, but she doesn't have any needle tracks anywhere else on her body-"

"I noticed that too."

Carlisle quirked his eyebrow at me as if I had just disclosed some confidential piece of information. "I pulled some hair samples and sent them to the lab. I want to know if this girl is an addict. I'm sorry if this bothers you, but she's my patient so it's my call. We also performed a rape kit as is standard procedure, but I can't discuss that with you without her permission."

I wrung my hands in my lap as I silently nodded. "How long will she have to stay?"

"At least a few days to recover from the surgery on her ankle," Carlisle responded. "If she is a heroin addict, she may experience withdrawal symptoms while she's here. I can't predict any further than that as I have no information about her. I can't contact her family. I don't even know her name or age. I'll just have to wait until she wakes up."

I sighed heavily and closed my eyes, steeling myself for the inevitable rejection I was sure to receive with my next question. "Can I wait, Carlisle?"

His brows furrowed in confusion as he studied me closely. "Wait? For what?"

"Can I wait for her to wake up?" I lowered my gaze to the floor and prayed that Carlisle would see that I only had good intentions. "I know she's going to be transferred to a room soon. I just want to talk to her when she wakes up…make sure she's going to be okay."

"I don't know, Edward," Carlisle sighed. "That's completely against hospital policy."

"Please."

Carlisle watched me carefully for several long minutes before finally nodding in agreement. "Fine, but if she wakes up and freaks out and asks you to leave, you have to go Edward."

"I understand. Thank you, Carlisle," I sighed, relaxing back into the couch.

Carlisle turned to his laptop and began typing away while mumbling about HIPPA violations. "She's out of surgery and they've taken her to room 406 on the fourth floor."

I was out of my seat and headed for the door before he finished his sentence. Halfway to the elevator, I heard him shout, "See me before you leave the hospital, Edward!"

It felt like an eternity before the elevator dinged and the doors slowly parted to allow me entrance. As I made my way to the fourth floor, I wracked my brain for what I would say to this girl. Would she be angry that I was there? God, I hoped not. Although my actions did seem a wee bit…stalkerish.

I arrived on her floor and made my way slowly to her room, cracking the door open just enough so I could peek in. The sun was just starting to rise, filling her room with an early morning glow. I didn't realize I had been here this long. Judging by the hue of the light, I would guess it to be around six in the morning. I crept inside, closing the door behind me, and took a seat in the padded recliner in the corner.

Looking over at her prone form in the bed, my heart tugged again. I had no idea how she would react to last night's events or my lingering presence, but I was resigned to be here to do what I could for her. My eyes grew heavy as the methodical rise and fall of her chest and the periodic beeping of the machines lulled me into a trance-like state. Not really asleep, but not fully awake either.

Sometime later, a sharp gasp brought me back to my senses as I jolted fully upright in my chair. I looked over toward the bed and was met with the most beautiful hazel eyes I had ever seen. Mystery girl gaped at me as she trembled slightly, reaching around the bed blindly for anything that could possibly be used to protect her.

"Who are you?"